Air pollution - Induced biochemical changes in some plants in selected forest reserves in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Air pollution has been reported to induce biochemical changes in plants leaves. This study determined the effect of air pollution on chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids of leaf samples from three forest reserves in Edo state, Nigeria. The leaves of the plants were collected from mature trees and used to determine the values of Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll b and carotenoid using standard methods of analysis. Ogba Forest was found to be lowest in both chlorophyll-a and b in Dacryodes edulis (5.00±12.0 mg/100g) and Moringa oleifera (20.09±12.72 mg/100g). Chlorophylla was, however, highest in Hura crepitans (16.78±32.45 mg/100g) while chlorophyll-b was highest in Dacryodes edulis (46.25±8.97 mg/100g). While UNIBEN forest reserve recorded the lowest chlorophyll-a value in Moringa oleifera (4.42±24.93 mg/100g) and exhibited lowest value of chlorophyll-b in Albiza labbek (10.33+35.69 mg/100 g). Saponba forest reserve recorded lowest chlorophyll-a in Magnifera indica (7.05±11.48 mg/100g), it was however, highest in Irvinga garbonesis (14.61±18.14 mg/100 g). Its value in chlorophyll-b, however, ranged from 12.66±1.68 to 31.05± 20.14 mg/100g. Same trend was observed with the carotenoid contents across board. Ogba forest reserve indicated the lowest value from Dacryodes edulis (6.72±6.73mg/100g), it was highest in Hura crepitans (23.86±7.84 mg/100g). UNIBEN forest reserve recorded lowest in Magnifera indica (3.10±0.37 mg/100g) and highest in Dacryodes edulis (21.73±15.11 mg/100g). Saponba forest reserve was not different in trend, as its lowest value was recorded in Entadrophragma angolensis (0.04±2.23 mg/100g) and highest in Magnifera indica (11.17±3.20 mg/100g). Species lowest in both chlorophyll-a and b and carotenoids are therefore more susceptible to the impact of air pollution in their respective forest reserves.

Adsorption of Copper and Cadmium from Wastewater Using Chemically Activated Watermelon Peels as Adsorbent

“…2 shows, that the removal efficiency of both copper and cadmium increases with increase in adsorbent dosage as a result of the availability of more sorption sites for adsorption. With a higher adsorbent dosage, there would be a greater number of exchangeable sites for metal ions [1]. The results from the experiment show that Cu (II) adsorbed more efficiently than Cd (II) with chemically activated water melon peel as adsorbent with their maximum % removal efficiency being 99.98% for Cu ++ respectively.…”

“…"Lack of clean water for drinking is an enormous challenge in most of the developing countries of the world due to daily contamination by excessive release of heavy metals into the environment due to industrialization and urbanization" [1,2]. "Industrial uses of metals and other domestic processes have introduced substantial amounts of potentially toxic heavy metals into the atmosphere and into the aquatic and terrestrial environments.…”

Exogenous application of citric acid alleviates copper-induced stress in Withania coagulans (Dunal)

“…A plant grown with a higher concentration of Cu had lower carotenoid levels in its leaves. The carotenoid content of leaves was higher with a value of 0.36 mg/g FW and significantly decreased in contaminated Uniben woodland forest with a value of 0.006 mg/g FW (Agbaire et al, 2017). A rise in CA concentration alleviated the stress caused by Cu, which then led to an increase in the concentration of pigments involved in photosynthesis (figure 1f-h).…”